Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

Alfa Romeo SPIDER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

4 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

68,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1968 to 1992 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 4 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior125.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing
1
Tires
1
Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine1
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing1
Tires1
Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs1

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Webbing: 1; Tires: 1; Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
1
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9991
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995
1
1999
1
2002
1
2008
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
19951
19991
20021
20081

1995: 1; 1999: 1; 2002: 1; 2008: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 959517 · 1995-02-03 (February 3, 1995)

SHOULDER/LAP BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILED TO RESTRAIN UPPER PORTION OF BODY. DRIVER THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 959517 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1977
2
1978
2
1979
2
1980
2
1981
2
1982
1
1984
0
1987
0
1989
0
1991
2
1992
1
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
19772
19782
19792
19802
19812
19821
19840
19870
19890
19912
19921

1977: 2; 1978: 2; 1979: 2; 1980: 2; 1981: 2; 1982: 1; 1984: 0; 1987: 0; 1989: 0; 1991: 2; 1992: 1

Year-by-year records

Alfa Romeo SPIDER model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
196801Not available
197101Not available
197702Not available
1978020
1979020
1980020
1981020
198201-1
198410Not available
198720Not available
198910Not available
199102Not available
199201-1
Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

4 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

25.0%Usable mileage1 / 4 records
75.0%Valid incident date3 / 4 records
100.0%Valid filing date4 / 4 records
75.0%Ordered incident and filing dates3 / 4 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component1978197919801981198219841987198919911992
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 845150

HAD JUST PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT. VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR UNKNOWN REASON. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED & PUT FIRE OUT. GAVE INDICATION FIRE HAPPENED AROUND ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. *AK

Look up ODI 845150 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Seat Belts:Front:Webbing
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

150.0%
ODI 959517

SHOULDER/LAP BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILED TO RESTRAIN UPPER PORTION OF BODY. DRIVER THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Look up ODI 959517 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Tires
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

150.0%
ODI 10247776 · 68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 ALFA ROMEO SPIDER. THE VEHICLE HAS FOUR CONTINENTAL TIRES. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60- 65 MPH, ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW OUT AND EXPLODED. WITHIN A MONTH, TWO TIRES HAVE EXPLODED. THE VIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

Look up ODI 10247776 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 8007410

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED AND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF DUE TO FAILURE TO TORQUE NUTS DOWN.*AK

Look up ODI 8007410 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
TiresToo few reports for a range68,000 mi1 (sparse)
ODI 10247776 · 68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 ALFA ROMEO SPIDER. THE VEHICLE HAS FOUR CONTINENTAL TIRES. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60- 65 MPH, ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW OUT AND EXPLODED. WITHIN A MONTH, TWO TIRES HAVE EXPLODED. THE VIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

Look up ODI 10247776 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-102026-09

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-09 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

1991: 0 complaints · 1992: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
1991000
1992000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
1991000
1992000

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentEngine And Engine Cooling:EngineSeat Belts:Front:WebbingTiresWheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine—000
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing0—00
Tires00—0
Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs000—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.